Friday, 18 March 2011

Three examples of cycle access at road closures

Here in the London Borough of Redbridge, Hermitage Walk E18 is signed as a dead-end road. The sign should have an indication that there is access for cyclists but naturally doesn’t. Well after all, this is only a ‘Biking Borough’.

Cleverly, the width of the cycle access is 73 cm. That’s one in the eye for those eccentric people who tow trailers or buy one of those funny foreign contraptions (the width of cargo bikes varies, but here’s a fairly average one that is 90cm wide).

Hats off to the London Borough of Hackney for putting up a lovely blue sign on Hillstowe Street E5 (below) indicating that this is a dedicated cycling route. In fact this a major permeability route for anyone cycling west on Lea Bridge Road (A104) and heading for the Mare Street part of town.

Just go down blocked-off Hillstowe Street, across the park (cycle path provided) and up Powerscroft Road. And haven’t Hackney done well? A single bike logo on the road surface is all that is needed to ensure that the cycle access is kept clear at all times by considerate drivers.

Planning to cycle to the Olympics from the London Borough of Waltham Forest? The Leyton Greenway starts on Marsh Lane. To access it and avoid the hellish A1006 why not thread your way through the quiet back streets, emerging by Marsh Lane on Radlix Road E10.

The cycle access here is… Oh, no, sorry. There just isn’t the space. Cycle access here would get in the way of the car parking at this junction, especially on the A1006. And anyway, cyclists don’t need infrastructure. All they need is encouragement and cycle training.